July 2011

July 25, 2011

Douglas A. Knight joins us for an illuminating discussion about law, power, and justice in ancient Israel. Using socio-anthropological theory and archaeological evidence, Knight argues that while the laws in the Hebrew Bible tend to reflect the interests of those in power, the majority of ancient Israelites—located in villages—developed their own unwritten customary laws to regulate behavior. His book, Law, Power, and Justice in Ancient Israel, will be available in August.

Douglas A. Knight is Professor of Hebrew Bible and Professor of Jewish Studies at the Divinity School of Vanderbilt University. He is the general editor of the Library of Ancient Israel, and a leading Old Testament scholar.